Suspension arrangement for a clothes washing machine

ABSTRACT

The present suspension arrangement is applied to a clothes washing machine of the type which comprises: a plurality of stay rods, having an upper end coupled in a structural cabinet, and a lower end coupled to a tub, to maintain said tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet. Each stay rod, which is formed by rigid stay rod portions or in a single piece flexible cable, presents, along its longitudinal extension, at least one hinge means interconnecting two adjacent stay rod portions and allowing the latter to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other around axes orthogonal to the stay rod.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a suspension arrangement for a washing liquid containing tub of a clothes washing machine, particularly a clothes washing machine with a vertical shaft and of the top loading type, in which the tub is maintained suspended in the interior of a structural cabinet of the machine, by suspension means that are at least partially and elastically deformable to dissipate vibratory energy resulting from the tub oscillation upon rotation of a perforated basket or of an agitator/impeller mounted in the interior of the tub, to move a load of clothes during the washing and spinning operations to be carried out by the machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the clothes washing machines of the above-mentioned type, the washing operations of a load of clothes contained in the basket are performed upon rotation of the basket in the machines with a horizontal shaft and of the front loading type, and upon rotation of the agitator/impeller in the machines with a vertical shaft and of the top loading type, the rotation of the basket or of the agitator/impeller being effected in a unidirectional way when applied to the basket, or in two opposite directions when applied to an agitator/impeller, at a determined speed, taking into account the movement to be imparted to the clothes and washing liquid, aiming to obtain a desired washing efficiency, as well as the wear suffered by the clothes submitted to said movement. These machines further effect a spinning operation to be carried out, for extracting water from the clothes, when the basket is rotated at a rotation generally higher than that imparted to the basket or to the agitator/impeller during the washing operations.

In these known machines, the tub is maintained suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet by suspension means generally defined by usually four rigid metallic rods, each rod having an upper end coupled, usually by articulation, to an upper point of the structural cabinet, and a lower end which supports, preferably by a spring or other elastically deformable element, usually under compression, a respective portion of the washing liquid containing tub.

In these known suspension arrangements, the energy resulting from the masses (basket, washing liquid and load of clothes) being moved inside the tub, upon operation of the machine, is transmitted to the tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet and also from the tub to the rods and to the respective elastically deformable elements, which must be designed to dissipate said energy, preventing said energy from being transmitted to the structural cabinet in a sufficient intensity to make it vibrate and even walk over the floor onto which the machine is seated.

Although being widely used and also capable to dissipate a determined degree of vibratory energy generated by the masses in movement, reducing the transfer of said energy to the structural cabinet, this known suspension arrangement is not capable to dissipate the dynamic energy during operations, particularly the spinning operation, with a certain load of clothes being positioned in an irregular or unbalanced within the basket. In these situations, an undesired portion of vibratory energy generated by the eccentric mass being rotated is transmitted to the structural cabinet, making the latter, depending on the unbalanced load, vibrate with sufficient intensity to provoke its walking over the floor.

Besides the inconvenience above, said prior suspension arrangement allows, in determined conditions of displacement of the load of clothes in the basket, the tub to vibrate and collide with the cabinet, since the suspension arrangement has its limited capacity of energy dissipation overcome by the generated vibratory energy.

The collision of the tub with the cabinet, besides provoking intense noise, submits the machine components to wearing impacts which further contribute to displace the cabinet from its position.

Although the deficiencies commented above are more intensely related to the washing machines with a vertical shaft, they are also found in the clothes washing machines with a horizontal shaft using said suspension arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a function of the inconveniences and operational limitations of said known suspension arrangements, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suspension arrangement, which allows for a substantial increase in the capacity of dissipating the vibratory energy produced by the eccentric masses being moved during the machine operation, preventing said energy from being transmitted to the structural cabinet in a sufficient intensity to produce operational collisions between the tub and the structural cabinet, as well as the displacement of the latter over the floor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suspension arrangement as mentioned above, which presents a simple construction and can be applied to the suspension means, without requiring constructive modifications in the tub and in the structural cabinet of the machine.

The suspension arrangement proposed herein is applied to a clothes washing machine of the type which comprises: a structural cabinet; a plurality of suspension means, each comprising a stay rod having an upper end coupled to the structural cabinet, and a lower end; and a tub to contain a washing liquid and having a plurality of spaced apart supports, in each of which is coupled the lower end of a respective stay rod, so as to maintain the tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet.

According to the invention, the stay rod of each suspension means comprises, along its longitudinal extension, at least one hinge means interconnecting two adjacent stay rod portions and allowing the latter to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other around axes orthogonal to the stay rod.

With the construction proposed herein, each stay rod of the suspension arrangement is divided in at least two stay rod portions articulated to each other, so that each corresponding suspension means presents a higher degree of freedom to deform medianly, better attenuating the vibrations received from the tub, upon the machine operation, particularly in the spinning phase.

In a possible way of carrying out the present invention, the stay rod portions are rigid and usually coaxial, being articulated to each other around at least two axes orthogonal to each other and to the stay rod.

In other way of carrying out of the present invention, the stay rod portions of each suspension means are formed in a single piece, in the form of a flexible cable with its extension comprising a plurality of hinge means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below, with reference to the enclosed drawings, given by way of example of embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 represents a simplified plan view of a clothes washing machine defined by a structural cabinet internally carrying, by suspension means, a washing liquid containing tub;

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the tub illustrated in FIG. 1 and of the suspension means inferiorly coupled to said tub, the structural cabinet being eliminated for a better visualization;

FIG. 3 a represents a partial sectional view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along line in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 b represents an enlarged detailed of the upper part of a suspension means, coupled to the structural cabinet, as illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 c represents an enlarged detail of the lower part of FIG. 3, illustrating the coupling of a suspension means to the washing liquid containing tub;

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of a suspension means utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 5 a represents an elevational lateral view of a hinge means coupling the adjacent ends of two partially illustrated rigid stay rod portions;

FIGS. 5 b and 5 c represent views similar to that of FIG. 5 a, but with the hinge means being rotated 180° and 90°, respectively;

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of the elements illustrated in FIG. 5 c;

FIG. 7 represents a perspective view of the elements illustrated in FIG. 5 b; and

FIG. 8 represents a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but illustrating a stay rod formed in a flexible cable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above and as illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the invention concerns a clothes washing machine, preferably of the top loading type, but which can also be a washing machine of the front loading type and with a horizontal shaft, said machine comprising a base structural cabinet 10, usually defined in a tubular-shaped body, usually with a polygonal section and to be inferiorly seated onto a floor (not illustrated), defined in the ambient in which the machine will be installed. The structural cabinet 10 can be constructed in different manners and in different materials, preferably taking the form of a tubular body comprising a surrounding casing 10 a, usually in sheet metal and which, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed by a front wall portion, a rear wall portion and opposite side wall portions.

The structural cabinet 10 superiorly incorporates, usually close to the vertices of its polygonal cross-section, a horizontal flange 11, which is welded or otherwise internally attached to the structural cabinet 10, close to an upper edge thereof, each horizontal flange 11 defining a support in which is coupled a respective suspension means “S” to be described ahead. Each horizontal flange 11 of the structural cabinet 10 comprises a cradle 12, medianly disposed and having the form of a semi-spherical recess and provided with a lower axial opening 13, which defines an axial passage through the sheet metal that forms the respective horizontal flange 11.

The present clothes washing machine further comprises, as already mentioned, a plurality of suspension means “S”, each comprising a stay rod 30 which, in the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, is rigid and usually metallic, having an upper end 30 a coupled, usually by articulation, to the structural cabinet 10, more specifically in a respective cradle 12 of a horizontal flange 11, and a lower end 30 b onto which is seated a respective elastically deformable element 40, as will be described in details ahead.

In the interior of the structural cabinet 10 is suspended a tub 50 to contain washing liquid and which is peripherally provided with a plurality of supports 51, angularly spaced from each other and seated and attached 25′ over the elastically deformable elements 40 of each suspension means “S”, so as to guarantee the tub 50 will be maintained in a suspended condition in the interior of the structural cabinet 10.

The tub 50 can be constructed in different manners which are adequate and well known from the prior art, so that its interior can receive a usually perforated basket (not illustrated), dimensioned to contain a load of clothes and which is rotatively driven by a motor unit, also not illustrated, at least during a spinning phase of the machine, to expel the water contained in the load of clothes already submitted to a washing operation. In the interior of the basket can be also provided an agitator/impeller, also not illustrated, which, when existing, is rotatively driven, in two opposite directions, at a certain speed, to promote agitation of both the washing liquid and the load of clothes contained within the basket and thereby promote the washing operations to be carried out by the machine.

According to a way of carrying out the present invention, the stay rod 30 of each suspension means “S” has its longitudinal extension formed by at least two stay rod portions 31, 32 connected to each other, in a median region of the stay rod 30, by a hinge means 20 which allows the adjacent stay rod portions 31, 32 to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other, around axes orthogonal to the stay rod 30, upon movement of the tub 50 as a function of the machine operation, particularly the spinning phase of the machine.

In the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the stay rod portions 31, 32 are usually constructed in metal, being rigid and coaxial to each other, the adjacent ends of the two stay rod portions 31, 32 being bent so as to define hooks 34, which are configured to be engaged to each other so as to define, with its mutual coupling, said hinge means 20 of each stay rod 30. This median articulation of each stay rod 30 allows imparting to the latter, even when constructed in a metallic and rigid material, a great flexibility, whereby the tub 50 can be displaced in different directions during the machine operation, without such movements or mass oscillations, represented by the tub, by the load of the washing liquid and clothes and also by the basket and, eventually, by the agitator/impeller and driving means, being transmitted with a relevant intensity to the structural cabinet 10.

Although FIGS. 1-4 have shown only one hinge means 20, constituted by the hooks 34 in the adjacent ends of the stay rod portions 31 and 32, and conducting to a metal/metal coupling, it should be understood that other forms of articulation can be considered, without modifying the actuation of the suspension means during the machine operations.

Another embodiment for the hinge means 20 of the stay rods 30 can be defined by the provision of an intermediary connector, in metallic or synthetic material, which is removably affixed in the adjacent ends of the stay rod portions 31 and 32, connecting them axially articulated to each other. Said intermediary connector, when constructed in metal, can be provided with non-metallic protecting elements, to avoid the direct metal-metal contact with the adjacent ends of the stay rod portions 31, 32. The intermediary connector can present any adequate construction, which allows the necessary median articulation of the stay rods 30.

Another solution to avoid the direct metal-metal friction can be simply defined with the provision of a coating in antifriction material, in at least parts of the mutual frictional contact regions of the hooks 34.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 6 and 7, the hinge means 20 can take the form of a body 21, preferably in a single piece and made of synthetic material, provided with an upper groove 22 and a lower groove 23, both extending in a semicircular convex arc and in planes orthogonal to each other, the adjacent ends of two stay rod portions 31, 32 being bent in the form of a hook 34, each being slidingly seated on one of the grooves 22, 23, so as to permit the angular displacement of each stay rod portion 31, 32 around the axis of the respective hook 34 and groove 22, 23.

In order to make the hinge means 20 more efficient between two stay rod portions 31, 32, the upper groove 22 and lower groove 23 of each body 21 can present enlarged opposite end portions to allow the angular displacement of each stay rod portion 31, 32 around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective hook 34 and groove 22, 23.

With the construction of said hinge means 20 illustrated in FIGS. 5 a-7, each two rigid and adjacent stay rod portions 31, 32 can be angularly displaced around two axes orthogonal to each other and to the stay rod 30.

Aiming at limiting the amplitude of the angular displacement of each stay rod portion 31, 32 around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective groove 22, 23 of the body 21, the latter can incorporate two pairs of stops 25, each pair associated with the end portions of a respective upper groove 22 or lower groove 23. In the illustrated embodiment, each pair of stops 25 is defined by a pair of flanges 25 a projecting divergently from the body 21, symmetrically in relation to the plane of formation of the respective groove 22, 23.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, in which each stay rod 30 is formed only by a pair of stay rod portions 31, 32, the stay rod portion 31 defined above the hinge means 20 has its upper end defined by the upper end 30 a of the stay rod 30 and attached in a semi-spherical hub 60, having an axial passage and which is seated in a respective cradle 12, also in the form of a semi-spherical recess of the structural cabinet 10. The semi-spherical hubs 60 are preferably formed in an adequate synthetic material, usually of the antifriction type, to be seated, in the form of a ball joint, in the interior of a respective cradle 12, preventing metal/metal contact to occur between the suspension means “S” and the structural cabinet 10 during the machine operation. Each semi-spherical hub 60 presents a construction that is adequate to receive, through an axial passage 61 of its body, the upper end 30 a of the stay rod 30, defined by the adjacent stay rod portion 31, this upper end 30 a being usually bent, to be seated onto a seat 62 defined in the upper region of said semi-spherical hub 60. However, it should be understood that other ways for attaching the upper end 30 a of the stay rod 30 in the respective semi-spherical hub 60 can be utilized. One of the ways would be, for example, to provide the upper end 30 a of the stay rod 30 with means to receive and retain a removable stop to be seated on the respective semi-spherical hub 60.

Further according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the tub 50 carries a plurality of supports 51, usually provided in its lower region and which project outwardly from the tub body, so as to inferiorly define respective semi-spherical recesses 52, which are centrally provided with an axial passage 53 extending through the support 51 and through which is loosely disposed an adjacent stay rod portion 32 defined below the hinge means 20, said stay rod portion 32 having a lower end 30 b which defines the lower end 30 b of the stay rod 30 and which is configured to axially retain a lower block 70 onto which is seated a respective elastically deformable element 40, usually tubular and disposed around said stay rod portion 32 and onto which is seated the semi-spherical recess 52 of the respective support 51.

With the constructive arrangement cited above, the tub is seated onto the elastically deformable elements 40, usually defined by helical springs 41, having a lower end 40 a seated onto a respective lower block 70 and an upper end 40 b seated against a semi-spherical upper block 80 seated below the semi-spherical recess 52 of the respective support 51. The lower block 70 and upper block 80 are also preferably constructed in synthetic material. In the illustrated construction, the lower end 30 b of the stay rod 30 is enlarged to retain therein a washer 43 onto which is seated the lower block 70, the upper block 80 further presenting a central axial tubular projection 81, through which projects the respective stay rod portion 32, the upper block 80 further incorporating, in a single piece, an elongated tubular skirt 82, projecting downwardly to define a casing that surrounds, with a radial gap, the elastically deformable element 40 (helical spring), said elongated tubular skirt 82 being extended so as to be peripherally seated around a base portion of the lower block 70, maintaining the region of each suspension means “S”, in which is mounted the elastically deformable element 40, protected from the outside environment, preventing water and dust from penetrating therein, and guaranteeing an adequate operation of said elastically deformable elements 40, during long periods of the machine operation, with the help of determined lubricant elements, not illustrated herein.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, each suspension means S can be defined by single piece stay rod 30 formed by a flexible cable, for example a steel or synthetic cable, having its upper end 30 a and lower end 30 b incorporating loops, eyelets or hooks to be coupled to the structural cabinet 10 and to the tub 50, respectively. In this construction, said stay rod portions 31, 32 are interconnected in a single piece, each portion of the flexible extension of the latter defining a hinge means. While only one embodiment of the present system has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and physical arrangement of the different components of the suspension means, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims that accompany the present specification. 

1. A suspension arrangement for a clothes washing machine of the type which comprises: a structural cabinet; a plurality of suspension means, each comprising a stay rod, having an upper end coupled to the structural cabinet, and a lower end; and a tub to contain a washing liquid and having a plurality of spaced apart supports in each of which is coupled the lower end of a respective stay rod, so as to maintain the tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet, characterized in that the stay rod of each suspension means comprises, along its longitudinal extension, at least one hinge means interconnecting two adjacent stay rod portions and allowing the latter to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other around axes orthogonal to the stay rod.
 2. The suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the stay rod portions are coaxial.
 3. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in any of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stay rod portions are rigid.
 4. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the adjacent ends of two stay rod portions are bent so as to define hooks, the hinge means being defined by the mutual coupling of said hooks.
 5. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the hinge means comprises a body provided with an upper groove and with a lower groove, both extended in a convex semicircular are and in planes orthogonal to each other, the adjacent ends of two stay rod portions being bent in the form of a hook, each hook being slidingly seated in one of the upper and lower grooves, in order to allow the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around the axis of the respective hook and groove.
 6. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the upper groove and lower groove have enlarged opposite end portions to allow the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective hook and groove.
 7. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the body of each hinge means incorporates two pairs of stops, each pair of stops being associated with the end portions of a respective upper groove or lower groove, so as to limit the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective hook and groove.
 8. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that each pair of stops is defined by a pair of flanges divergently projecting from the body of the hinge means.
 9. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the body of the hinge means is formed in a single piece of a synthetic material.
 10. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the stay rod portions of each suspension means are formed in a single piece in the form of a flexible cable, each portion of the extension of the latter defining a hinge means.
 11. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the structural cabinet superiorly comprises a plurality of cradles in the form of semi-spherical recesses provided with a lower axial opening, each cradle bearing a semispherical hub attaching the upper end of an adjacent stay rod portion disposed through the lower axial opening of the respective cradle.
 12. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 11, characterized in that the semi-spherical hubs are formed in synthetic material.
 13. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that each semi-spherical hub presents a passage, through which passes the upper end of the stay rod.
 14. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 13, characterized in that each semi-spherical hub presents, in its upper region, a seat, onto which is 10 seated the usually bent upper end of the stay rod.
 15. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the supports of the tub project outwardly and inferiorly define semi-spherical recesses that are centrally provided with an axial passage extending through the support and through which is loosely disposed an adjacent stay rod portion having a lower end configured to axially retain a lower block onto which is seated a respective elastically deformable element, disposed around said stay rod portion and onto which is seated the semi-spherical recess of the respective support.
 16. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that the elastically deformable element is usually tubular and disposed around said stay rod portion and onto which is seated the semi-spherical recesses of the respective support.
 17. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 16, characterized in that the elastically deformable elements are defined by helical springs with a lower end seated onto a respective lower block and an upper end seated against a semi-spherical upper block, seated under the semi-spherical recess of the respective support.
 18. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 17, characterized in that the lower block and upper block are constructed in synthetic material.
 19. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 16, characterized in that the lower end of the stay rod is enlarged, so as to retain a washer on which is seated the lower block.
 20. Suspension arrangement, as set forth in claim 16, characterized in that the upper block presents a central axial projection, through which projects a respective stay rod portion, said upper block incorporating, in a single piece, an elongated tubular skirt configured so as to define a casing that surrounds, with a radial gap, the elastically deformable element. 